Good morning and happy Monday to you! As mentioned last week, I’m mixing things up a little bit on the blog this week – (#1) I needed a little help as I settle into my new job, and (#2) I’m dedicating the week to all things “wedded bliss” as John and I celebrated our 6 month anniversary of being newlyweds yesterday. I’ve got TONS of great resources lined up for you guys throughout the week, and even a special giveaway on Friday! You don’t want to miss it. Take it away, Joelle…

Hi everyone! My name is Joelle Duff, and I blog over at Something Charming. Carrie has asked me over today while she starts her new job, and celebrates her six month anniversary (congratulations Carrie!). Since I’m a wedding planner and blogger, I thought I would share some advice for those of you thinking of having a DIY wedding.

Personally, I’m not a very crafty girl, so Carrie’s projects are always really impressive to me! She is definitely one talented lady. As a wedding planner, however, I see a lot of future brides and grooms who want to add that personal and handmade touch to their wedding. Doing it yourself can be a great way to save money and make your wedding “you,” but there are definitely some things you’ll want to keep in mind.

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Long before you commit yourself to a DIY project for your wedding, try it out first to see if it’s really something you can do. It can be easy to see something on Pinterest that looks so easy, but in actuality is a disaster waiting to happen. So, make sure you find out how your version of those mini apple butter favors come out before you put them down on your list. You’ll want plenty of time to change your mind, or come up with an alternative, if necessary.

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Chances are that when you asked your best girlfriends to be your bridesmaids, they knew that they might be asked to help out in a few ways. There’s no shame in asking for help tying on ribbon or hand stamping programs. Just don’t be offended or upset if they say no. They have lives outside of your wedding, remember, and you don’t want to turn into that bridezilla that they talk about for years to come.

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I hear it a lot, and I always cringe when I do. I am going to make my own cake. My mom’s doing my flowers. I have a friend with a nice camera, so I don’t need a photographer. It might work sometimes, but I’ve seen too many disasters to believe that a normal person can miraculously create things that are on the same level as wedding professionals.

Speaking from experience, baking and decorating a wedding cake is difficult. So is trying to cook for 150 people without catering experience, or creating 15 centerpieces on a time crunch.

Instead of trying to do it all yourself, pick and choose the things that you know you or someone else will be good at. Favors, stationery, and other décor are great ways to incorporate DIY elements that don’t require much specialized skill. That way you can focus on a few things, and leave the big pieces to the professionals.

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If you love to DIY, you probably aren’t a type A bridezella. The point of having handmade touches is to bring that personal, intimate feel to your wedding. So don’t stress about the details, and instead focus on bringing you into your wedding. Those are my favorite types of weddings anyway!

Thanks so much for having me over today, and I would love to hear your DIY wedding successes (or disasters)! And if you need some DIY ideas for your wedding, definitely check out the Wedding Chicks. They have some great projects for you to try out!